Evaluating the Experience of Organizations Implementing Medication Management Services Using a Variety of Implementation Strategies

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to evaluate the experience of organizations who participated in a medication management learning collaborative and their perceptions of the different implementation strategies that were employed. Methods: Using a utilization-focused evaluation approach, qualitative interviews were conducted with former participants (clinicians, managers, or other key stakeholders) of medication management learning collaboratives organized and delivered by Alliance for Integrated Medication Management (AIMM). The purpose of the learning collaboratives was to provide structure and facilitation to accelerate the implementation of medication management services. One-on-one semi-structured interviews were carried out with a lead member of 11 different organizations that participated in an AIMM collaborative about their experience in the collaborative and the different implementation strategies that were used. Results: Three themes emerged: (1) perspectives on the implementation strategies, (2) external facilitators, and (3) additional benefits of being in the collaborative. Certain implementation strategies used by AIMM, such as coaching, were considered beneficial by almost everyone while other strategies, such as webinars, had mixed opinions. Participants also highlighted the importance of external facilitators, like dedicated time to work on implementation strategies, as well as the additional benefits like the professional development that comes from being in a learning collaborative and learning different implementation strategies. Conclusion: Implementation strategies may help accelerate the adoption and expansion of medication management services within and across organizations. The results of this evaluation shed light on the experiences of different organizations using select implementation strategies in their medication management implementation efforts. The perspectives of participants in this study may help other organizations in selecting and developing similar implementation strategies.